Firearm



March 12, 1935. H REED 1,993,979

' FIREARM Filed July 19, 1934 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREARM Lewis H. Reed, Springfield, Mass.

. Application July 19, 1934, Serial No. 735 982 2 Claims. (01. 2406.41)

This invention relates to improvements in firelost motion in the trigger action of firearms. arms and is directed more particularly to the That is to say, the first rearward movementof the provision of improved firearms which may be trigger takes up the slack and the gun is not accurately and readily usedin darkness. cocked until the trigger has moved rearwardly .5 The principal objects of the invention are to a considerable distance. By means of this inv5 provide a firearm which has a novel illuminating yention, I take advantage of this lost motion in device associated therewith arranged for focusing t e trigger t pera an. ill m n ting mean so that the light will be directed towards a cerwhich may be focused on a certain object at tain point which is the focal point of the sights which it is desired to fire the gun.

and barrel. By reason of the novel construction In Fig. 1 there is shown a revolver of usual 10 of this invention, it is possible to aim the firearm h p ving a stock a a f rw r ly extending by locating a spot of light on an object rather barrel 4. The barrel 4 is, of course, cylindrical than by means of the usual sighting means comso that a bullet or the like passes therethrough monly employed so that a bullet will be projected and fr n an r r si hts 5 an are v de towards the spot of light. as shown. At 10 is represented ,a chamber of 15 A further object of the invention is to provide usual form and .a g p 12 is 'p d Which is a firearm-of novel construction which may be oppr r yh0110W fo a D D SB which will pres, orated to simultaneously illuminate an object ently appear. which it is desired to shoot. It is possible be- A trigger guard 0 is provided on the lower cause of the novel construction of the device of side of the stock and this preferably consists of a this invention to aim the firearm accurately and loop secured thereto as shown. A trigger 22 is readily by means of the spot of light and without. pivoted to the stock of the revolver by means of a the use of ordinary gunsights and Without the pivot such as 24 and this is movable 'back and necessity of bringing the firearm up to the level forth in the usual way within the trigger guard.

1'23 of the eyes. Where alight is ordinarily used an It is-the first rearward movement of this trigger 25 object is merely illuminated and it is necessary 22 that is taken advantage of for the novel to aim the firearm but according to this invention functioning of my invention. h l n m an so arranged nd n- Secured to the outsideof the forward end of structed that light is so projected that when as it t barrel 4 is an illuminating device v11 This 39 appears on an Object the firearm is aimed at that device D may be secured to the barrel in various Spot ways but preferably a split band such as 40 is Various other novel features and advantages of emp10yed mvention m appear following The illuminating device D consists of a socket scnptflon F m f F F wlt'h the accom 30 having a reflector 32 associated with the fory i 9 95 t 1 1 ward end thereof. A bulb 34. is threadedly re- 35 2; s 2 gz gg gg g gi i g gg Kg; ceivable in the socket so as to be movable axially invention, in the socket for focusing purposes.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the Th .bulb 34 has p 36 on Inner end forward end of the barrel of the revolver shown 1s engagfable w Contact 130111.; 40 in Fig vided on an insulating washer 37 within the Fig 3 is an inverted plan View of 5 trigger socket. The washer 3'? is preferably springguard having certain features of the invention pressed as shownassociated therewith; and As a special feature of the invention, the socket Fig 415 a ma11 a1e diagrammatic View show is adjustable so that its axis is movable relative 45 mg the operation of the device of the invention. to that Of the barrel of the gun d n Order that Referring now to the drawing more in detail, & p 015 light y coincide with apoi t f 0 the invention will be fully described. vergence of the axis of the barrel and sigh in While the novel features of the invention are lineshown and will be described in connection with This may be accomplis d by Providing 'p i 50 a revolver, it is to be understood that those such as a small strip of spring-like metal 42 on features are adapted for broad and various applithe under side of the barrel which is adapted to cations and may be used in connection with other urge the inner end of the socket downwardly. types of firearms such as a shot-gun or the like. An adjusting screw 44 is preferably provided to .55 I have found that there is a certain amount of bear against the under side of the socket and this may be moved up and down to move the socke and bulb.

A source of electrical energy is provided as an essential element of the structure of this invention. A dry cell battery B is preferably provided and this may be carried within the grip 12 hollowed out for this purpose.

An insulated wire is connected to and extends from the contact point 35 in the bulb socket rearwardly to an insulated contact member 62 associated with the trigger guard 20. Another wire 64 connects the battery B to a spring contact member 68. J

The member 68 is so disposed on the trigger guard relative to the trigger that when the trigger 22 is first moved rearwardly for the cocking action it depresses the spring member 68 which contacts with contact 62. In this way, the circuit is completed and the bulb 34 is energized.

It may be seen then that the first motion of the trigger which is utilized to operate the illuminating device of this invention. The light may be focused before the gun is fired and since because of the novel construction thefocal points of the light, sights and gun barrel are the same as shown in Fig. 4 the bullet will be projected towards the point at which the'light is directed.

The bulb is so focused and the socket is so adjusted relative to the barrel that a spot of light is located at a point where the sighting line and axis of the bore of the barrel converge; When the gun is to be fired, the trigger is moved so that the bulb is energized to produce a spot of light. The gun is pointed so that the spot of light is on the object it is desired to shoot at. By reason of the focusing of the bulb and the adjusting of the socket when the spot of light is on the object, the gun is properly aimed at that object. This is to be distinguished from merely illuminating an object and then aiming the gun. By means of this invention, the gun is correctly aimed when the spot of light is on the object to be fired at.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to a preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limitedthereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing, from the spirit and scope of the invention. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: V

1. A firearm comprising in combination, a barrel having a bore, a socket pivotally associated with said barrel for tilting movements on an axis to the reflector and socket and the socket and reflector may be adjusted relative to the barrel so that the focal point of rays reflected by the reflector may be in substantial coincidence with the axis of the barrel bore and a bullet discharged from'said firearm will strike at said point of coincidence.

2. A firearm comprising in combination, a trigger,a barrel having a bore, sights on the upper side of said barrel arranged to provide a sighting line which converges with the axis of the bore of the barrel at a certain point forwardly thereof, a strap around the barrel adjacent its forward end having spaced parts below said barrel, a socket pivoted between said spaced parts of the strap for tilting movements on an axis transverse to the axis: of said bore of the barrel, a reflector on the forward side of the socket for directing light rays forwardly of the socket and barrel, a bulb adjustable'axially of said socket, adjusting means associated-with said strap below said socket for tilting said socket relative to said barrel into adjusted positions, a spring between the barrel and'inner end of the socket co-operating with the adjusting means and urging said inner end of the socket downwardly, a source of energy, circuit connections between said bulb and source of energy and switch means in said circuitconnections operable by said trigger, all adapted and arranged whereby the bulb may be adjusted relative to the reflector and socket and the socket and reflector may be adjusted relative to the'barrel so that the focal point of rays reflected by the reflector may be in substantial coincidence with said certain point of convergence of the axis of the barrel bore and sight line anda bullet discharged from said firearm will strike at said certain point of convergence.

LEWIS H. REED. 

